By ZBC News
54 African Union Heads of State and Government to receive a copy of the Africa Factbook
The Africa Factbook, which is set to be distributed to African Union heads of state and government, seeks to tell the story of Africa from an African perspective.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has signed the Africa Factbook at the State House in Harare today.
Speaking at the signing, President Mnangagwa said the first edition of the book aims to shatter the myths surrounding the continent and its people.
“The first edition has been produced under the theme ‘Busting the Myths’. The myth that black people of Africa have no history. The myth that the Great Zimbabwe Walls were not built by us the indigenous local people. The myth that Africans have never invented or discovered anything. All these and other myths are solidly busted by scientific facts, impeccable sources and astute scholarship,” he said.
He added that the book is being sent out to the African Heads of State and Government as Zimbabwe’s contribution towards the AU theme for 2021.
“The African Union theme for 2021 is ‘Arts, Culture and Heritage: Levers for Building the Africa We Want’. I, therefore, dispatch this book and the accompanying comradely letters to my fellow Heads of State and Government withing the African Union as Zimbabwe’s contribution to this pan-African theme that seeks to revive our spirit and pride in our great history and bright future.”
Compiled by the Institute of African Knowledge (Instak), in collaboration with several researchers from Africa and beyond, the factbook supports aspirations of the African Union agenda 2063 which among other things seeks to redeem the pride of Africa.
Instak argues that the story of Africa has been documented and told from a western perspective resulting in a disinformation campaign for over 500 years and now is the time for Africa to tell her own story.
The Africa Factbook was jointly launched by President Mnangagwa and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in his capacity as AU chairperson in 2020.